Communiqué of the 1062nd meeting of the PSC held on 31 January 2022, on the Situation in Burkina Faso

AFRICAN UNION

UNIAO AFRICANA

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321

Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 1062^nd MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 31 JANUARY 2022

PSC/PR/COMM.1/1062(2022)

COMMUNIQUE

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PSC/PR/COMM. 1/1062(2022) COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1062^nd meeting held on 31 January 2022, on the Situation in Burkina Faso:

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions on the situation in Burkina Faso, in particular Communiques PSC/PR/COMM/3.(DXLIV) adopted at its 544^th meeting held on 18 September 2015; PSC/PR/COMM (CDLXVIII), adopted at its 468^th meeting held on 18 November 2014; and PSC/PR/COMM(CDLXV) adopted at its 465^th meeting held on 3 November 2014;

Also recalling the Press Release of the Chairperson of the Commission issued on 24 January 2022, as well as the Communique of the Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government on the political situation in Burkina Faso adopted on 28 January 2022;

Evoking the relevant provisions of the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, particularly Article 7 (g) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance;

Mindful of the Decisions AHG/Dec.l41(XXXV) and AHG/Dec.l42(XXXV), adopted by the 35^th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Algiers, Algeria, from 12 to 14 July 1999; the Declaration on the Framework for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Change of Government, adopted by the 36^th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Lome, Togo, from 10 to 12 July 2000 (the Lome Declaration); and the Solemn Declaration of the 50^th OAU/AU Anniversary adopted in Addis Ababa on 25 May 2013;

Takes note of the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, PSC Chairperson for January 2022 and Permanent Representative ofthe Republic of Ghana to the AU; the briefing by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; as well as the statements made by H.E. Ambassador Olivia Rouamba, Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso and the Representative ofthe Chair ofthe ECOWAS;

Reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the AU to respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Burkina Faso, as well as the AU's solidarity with the people and Government of Burkina Faso; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

1. Expresses deep concern over the resurgence of military coups d'etat which undermines democracy, peace, security and stability in the Continent;

2. Condemns in unequivocal terms, the military coup d'etat in Burkina Faso, which resulted in the ousting of a democratically elected President, H.E. Marc Roch Christian Kabore, by a faction of military officers; and reiterates its zero tolerance of unconstitutional changes of government in line with Article 4(p) of the AU Constitutive Act and reaffirm total adherence to the AU normative frameworks on illegal takeover of governments on the Continent;

3. Endorses the Communique of the Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on the political situation in Burkina Faso adopted on 28 January 2022; and expresses strong support to the efforts of the ECOWAS in addressing peace and security challenges facing the region, including the resurgence of military coups;

4. Demands the immediate unconditional release of President Marc Rock Christian Kabore and all other detainees, and respect of human rights, including protection of their physical health and moral integrity and warns that in a situation of any abuse of human rights, Council will not hesitate to take necessary action, including punitive measures against those who will be found responsible;

5. Decides, in line with the relevant AU instruments, in particular, the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, to suspend, with immediate effect, the participation of Burkina Faso in all AU activities until the effective restoration of normal constitutional order in the country;

6. Pledges the resolute support of the AU to the people of Burkina Faso and reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the AU to continue to provide requisite technical and other necessary support in accompanying the country towards the return to a democratic and civilian- led government;

7. Notes with concern the deteriorating security situation and the surge in insurgency and violent extremism in Burkina Faso and the broader Sahel region, which has been further compounded by heightened population displacement, in particular, women and children amidst the precarious impact of drought and climate change;

8. In this context, welcomes the joint initiative by the Chairperson of the Commission and the United Nations Secretary-General on the AU-UN Joint Strategic Assessment on sustainable financing of G5 Sahel Joint Force, as a strategic milestone towards a comprehensive response to security challenges in the Sahel region;

9. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission through his High Representative and Head of AU Mission in Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL) to continue to closely monitor the situation in close coordination with ECOWAS and to report to Council regularly;

10. Reiterates its communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(1030(2021)] adopted at its 1030^th meeting held on 30 September 2021 which called for a comprehensive and objective analysis of the root causes and impact of unconstitutional changes of government in the Continent and the recommendations of the 8^th High Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa held in Oran, Algeria in December 2021, which called for the review ofthe African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the Lome Declaration on unconstitutional changes of government; and in this regard, underscores the need for such analytical review to also examine existing AU instruments on democracy and good governance, with a view to factor in contemporary challenges to African peace and security and modalities to address the surge in unconstitutional changes of government in Africa, and report to the Council within two months, with practical recommendations on steps to be taken;

11. Calls on the international community to continue supporting Burkina Faso in order to enable it address the deteriorating security situation and prevailing socio-economic challenges facing the country, cognizant of the fact that only a sustained redress of the structural dynamics underlying the current challenges in the country can guarantee lasting stability and development; and

12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.